Master of Science in Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management Online
Keep your community safe when you strengthen your understanding of emergency management with a CAEMHSE-accredited M.S. in Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management.
Program Overview
What our online disaster preparedness and emergency management master's offers you
Timely and relevant, the Master of Science in Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (DPEM) online program offers you the career and educational preparation you need to support large and small communities during natural catastrophes. Learn to prevent, mitigate and oversee crises resulting from natural disasters such as weather emergencies or other events causing functional physical, emotional and/or social disruption to society.
This accredited online program will educate you on the hazards, risks and theories of various disasters and emergencies and how to distinguish between types as well as how to actively apply your knowledge. By studying historical and contextual occurrences, you will understand the social, cultural and economic dimensions of emergency management within political, legal and fiscal contexts. You will also learn to use various communication methods and technological tools to navigate relevant public, private, governmental and non-governmental sectors. This online degree program is designed to prepare you for new career roles or for advancement within the disaster preparedness and emergency management field.
During this online master’s program, you will be fully supported by highly qualified faculty and staff and gain practical experience through an internship or practicum by working with faculty-approved mentor(s) or at an emergency management site.
As a graduate, you will be prepared for expanded positions in disaster preparedness, such as:
- Disaster Recovery Manager
- Emergency Management Program Specialist
- Emergency Response Team Leader
- Emergency Services Director
- Environmental Health and Safety Manager
- Hospital Emergency Preparedness Administrator
- Hurricane Program Manager
- Nuclear Emergency Planner
- Safety Specialist
- Disaster Recovery Manager
- Emergency Management Program Specialist
- Emergency Response Team Leader
- Emergency Services Director
- Environmental Health and Safety Manager
- Hospital Emergency Preparedness Administrator
- Hurricane Program Manager
- Nuclear Emergency Planner
- Safety Specialist
Also available:
A-State offers a variety of graduate programs in a convenient online format. Explore our full range of online graduate programs.
Accreditation
All degrees in the Arkansas State University Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management program are accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Emergency Management and Homeland Security Education (CAEMHSE).
Tuition
Discover the value of our low-cost tuition
Our M.S. in Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management online program offers the same affordable tuition to in-state and out-of-state students. All fees are included. Tuition may be subject to change on a yearly basis.
Tuition breakdown:
Calendar
Arkansas State Online dates and deadlines
Our M.S. in Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management program is designed to be flexible and convenient for working professionals, offering 100% online coursework and multiple start dates a year.
Please note Summer 1 and Summer 2 terms are 5 weeks in duration for this program.
| Term | Program Start Date | Application Deadline | Document Deadline | Registration Deadline | Payment Due | Last Class Day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring 1 | 1/13/25 | 12/16/24 | 12/18/24 | 1/9/25 | 1/10/25 | 2/28/25 |
| Spring 2 | 3/10/25 | 2/24/25 | 2/28/25 | 3/6/25 | 3/7/25 | 5/2/25 |
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Admissions
Find your fit in our online emergency management degree program
A-State Online offers a streamlined admission process for both new students and transfers. Students who are interested in the disaster preparedness and emergency management online program must have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution. Review full admission requirements below.
Admission Requirements:
- Online application
- Bachlor's degree
- GPA of 2.75
- Complete online application and pay a nonrefundable $30 fee
- Bachelor's degree in any discipline
- Undergraduate grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.00 scale or a 3.00 GPA in the last 60 hours*
- Official transcript(s) sent from the registrar of the college/university attended. Official transcripts are sealed transcripts sent from the granting institution.
- Students must complete the following FEMA Emergency Management Institute classes prior to admission or within the first seven weeks of this program (students can enroll in the courses here: https://training.fema.gov/):
- IS-100.C: Introduction to the Incident Command System
- IS-700.B: An Introduction to the National Incident Management System
- IS-800.D: National Response Framework, An Introduction
- IS-200.C: Basic Incident Command System for Initial Response
- Students must also complete these courses prior to admission or within the first seven weeks of this program:
- Core Disaster Life Support (CDLS)
- Basic Disaster Life Support (BDLS)
- Health Care Provider CPR
Submit all documents to:
A-State OnlineP.O. Box 2520
State University, AR 72467
Fax: 870-972-3548
Email: [email protected]
Additional information
Transfer credits
Up to 9 graduate hours from A-State or other higher education institutions may be credited toward a program. No course can be older than six years by graduation time. Transfer credit will be evaluated by the Director of the Program. To request prior credit be evaluated, please complete the Graduate Transfer Credit Evaluation Form.
Courses
A look at the online M.S. in Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management curriculum
Students in the M.S. in Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management online program must complete a total of 36 credit hours. Required coursework includes six core courses (18 credit hours), three emphasis courses (9 credit hours), one practicum course (3 credit hours) and one capstone course (6 credit hours).
Visit the Course Registration page to view the course schedule for this degree.
Students must choose three of the following courses.
Students must choose one of the following courses.
Students must choose one of the following courses.
*For Conditional Admission, students must have a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.50 on a 4.00 scale or a 2.75 GPA in the last 60 hours for admission into a graduate program or for admission as a non-degree student.